The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-12-08
THE BEAN CASE.
DR.. Howard, of San Antoine. Appointed
Administrator of the Estate.

DR.. Howard, of San Antoine. Appointed
Administrator of the Estate.
Special Telegram to the Statesman.
BoNHAM, December LIN the county
court this morning Judge Mcclellan rem
dered his decision in the well-knOwn Bean
estate contest, granting letters of admin
istration to DR.. FL. p. Howard, of San An
tonic. His bond was fixed at $5,000,000,
which the doctor can readily give. DR..
Howard is at present postmaster at San
Antonio. Judge McClellan's ruling will
have great bearing on the trial for the
heirship, as DR.. Howard based his claim
on his relationship to the deceased. The
estate consists of Texas farm lands. Tom
Bean died on July % last. He was
an eccentric character; was a bachelor;
had lived in a small nestory house for
81 years. At an early day he was sur
veyor, and for services rendered the coun-
try and state, he would take land for pay.
Being a surveyor, he could always locate
the most valuable land, and a portion of
the best he would always select as re-
muneration for surveyors. In this way
he managed to secure 100000 acres of
rich farming lands. This he let stand for
few years, when it became more valua-
BILE. He then brought into play
the shrewd judgment that was
characteristic of the man. He sold some
of the most valuable and bought larger
quantities of cheaper lands, which soon
increased in valuation. In this way he
accumulated 100000 acres of valuable
farming lands, mostly in this county. Col.
Bean was very reticent regarding his
family relation. He had few confidential
friends, and to the few with whom he was
intimate, he scarcely went further than
to tell he had no near relation living
Temporary administrators were by the
court appointed, who searched among the
papers and effects Of the deceased, hoping
to be rewarded either by the finding of
will or some instrument of writing that
would throw some light upon the family
history of the Beans. Nothing important
was found.
About two months after the death of
Col. Bean, visionary heirship began to
crop out all over the United States, and
few from Canada. Prominent among
these would-be claimants was one j. w.
Saunders, of Oxford, Miss, who came for
ward with a very extraordinary story.
"Col. Bean, he stated, "was his own
brother, and his true name was Saunders
forty years ago. His brother, Tom
Saunders, was surveying land in Tennes-
see during which be became enrGged at
his chain-bearer, and struck him over the
head with his Jacob staff, killing him.
To escape punishment Tom Saunders
fled to small island in the Mississippi
river known as Bean island. The name
of the island suggested the name for the
purpose of escaping detection. Conse-
quently he had come to Texas with that
assumed name, aud had lived life of Sc
olusion because of being fugitive.
This story of Saunders was believed by
many who heard it, and through his at
torneys Mr.. Saunders filed a petition to
take out letters of Enthusiastically on
the estate previous to the time DIR. How
ard had filed petition as being next of
kin to Bean.
| VIM. Russell was claimant to the ad-
ministratorship, from a standpoint of be-
ing a reputable citizen of the county,
asking that his claim be considered if no
other relationship was proven. All of
the claimants came before the court which
met last Tuesday. At the outset of the trial
Saunders attorneys withdrew him from
the race, and the contest was narrowed
down to Russell and Howard. This vast
estate intact approShuates $15,000,000.